


Of All the Taxis in All the World

by wrote_and_writ



Series: The Chosen Ones [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Paths Crossing, reconnecting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 01:31:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17416415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrote_and_writ/pseuds/wrote_and_writ
Summary: Harry blamed the roses. Draco said it was the massive stuffed bear. But it was probably Fate.





	Of All the Taxis in All the World

Harry didn’t _think_ he’d angered any old gods recently, but something must have happened to incur this level of cosmic vengeance. Because that’s what it was, what it had to be. Nothing good could possibly come from this interminable taxi ride. Of course he could have said no when Draco suggested they split the taxi they’d both tried to hail. He could have been a gentleman and let Draco go ahead. Except he hadn’t realized it was Draco until they were in the cab and merging with the traffic. Draco carried two bouquets of red roses, and Harry wrestled with a massive stuffed panda. He was running late to meet Lily. That’s why he accepted the cab share idea. Because of his daughter. Yes. The only reason he was in that taxi at that moment was because he was a good father who would not leave his teenage daughter waiting outside King’s Cross alone.

He glanced to his left, but Draco studiously avoided his gaze. Questions flooded Harry’s brain, but the one that escaped his mouth was, “Why are you taking a taxi?”

Draco turned, blinked, and said nothing. Harry pushed on, despite his under-used common sense telling him to _shut up shut up shut up!_

“Why? Why don’t you,” he glanced at the cabbie, who was having an eloquent argument with some Conservative MP on the radio, “apparate?”

“Because I haven’t told Paul I’m a wizard,” Draco replied. 

Harry wondered if perhaps he was finally going mad as his brain leapt from conclusion to conclusion, each more improbable than the next. He figured he’d go mad one day. Curse of the DADA post coming home to roost. He only wished it hadn’t happened in the back of a taxi with Draco Sodding Malfoy.

Draco watched with cool amusement as Harry processed his statement. He let Harry gape like a fish for a good two minutes before he took pity on him.

“We met at an art gallery. We’ve been seeing each other for a few weeks. We’re having dinner. He’s nice.”

“That’s good,” Harry managed. “Very good.”

“Are you dating a zookeeper?” Draco asked, pointing to the panda. “Or conservationist?”

“Who says I’m dating anyone?” Harry said, more forcefully than he intended.

“I heard about you and Ginny, and it’s Valentine’s Day, so I simply assumed…”

“Oh, no. I’m not. That’s reasonable, but no. There’s no one.”

“The panda’s for you?”

Harry flushed. This was humiliating. Draco was being friendly, he was dating a Muggle, a man, a man Muggle, and he looked so beautiful in the dim light of the cab that Harry thought it had to be an illusion.

“No,” Harry said at last. “I’m not seeing anyone. I’m meeting Lily for a father-daughter thing. I completely forgot it was Valentine’s Day. This is the first evening I’ve had free in a few weeks.”

“You’re not seeing anyone.”

“No.”

“Hmmm.”

Harry wished a hole would open up in the earth and swallow him right now, end his suffering. Except, of course, he would be stuck with Draco. Their ghosts would haunt whatever part of London they were in -- _Southwark, dear god, no_ \-- together, for eternity. 

“So Greenwich,” Harry began, but he didn’t have the rest of the question.

“Greenwich,” Draco agreed. 

“Home or work or?”

“Work. I’m at the Royal Observatory, liaising for the Ministry with some of their astronomers.”

“I didn’t know you were interested in stars.”

“Well, when one has trouble sleeping,” Draco shrugged and let the sentence drop off.

Harry did know. He usually found a way to tire himself out, but he hadn’t considered looking at the stars.

“So dinner!” he blurted, falsely bright, shutting his brain off from the thread it wanted to follow. 

“It is a thing I have grown accustomed to,” Draco said with a smile. “I’m taking Paul to a little place called Marco’s. It’s a few blocks from King’s Cross, but I didn’t fancy fighting the Tube. What about you? Why’d you hail a cab?”

“Because it’s been a hell of a week, and I didn’t fancy getting splinched if I tried to apparate. I try not to traumatize my children unless absolutely necessary.”

“Wise decision,” Draco said. A shadow of sadness crossed his face, but he regained his composure quickly. “You’re not taking her to the Leaky Cauldron are you?”

“Hah, no. You remember Hannah Abbott from school? She has a restaurant on Diagon Alley. Some fancy salad thing. Gets her greens from Neville. Lily is a vegetarian these days, so I thought she’d like to go.”

“That’s sweet,” Draco said. The smile he gave Harry wasn’t particularly radiant, but it did things to Harry’s stomach that he didn’t appreciate.

“‘Course, I’ll have to stop at a pub after for something decent,” Harry said, desperate to fill the silence. “Some chips at least.”

“Of course. I would--”

“‘Ere you go, boys,” their cabbie said, pulling in among the crowds of the station. “Sixty five quid.”

Draco handed the man a wad of cash before Harry could get his wallet and exited the cab.

“Draco, wait!” Harry tumbled out of the car. “Your money.”

Draco waved a hand at Harry. “Forget about it.”

“No, seriously. Can I buy you lunch or something?” _Again with the words before the thinking,_ Harry admonished himself. 

Draco smiled again. “Alright, Potter. Send me an owl when you’re free. Or call.” He took a card from his wallet. “I stay in London most of the time. Address is on the back. I’ll get the message.”

Harry took the card and tried to think of something cool or suave to say, but he heard Lily calling him. He turned to see her waving from one of the arched entrances, her red hair a familiar beacon.

“Soon,” Harry promised, pocketing the card. 

Draco smiled and gave him an odd little salute, then turned to go. 

Lily caught him in a wild hug and kissed his cheek. “Who’s that, Dad?” “Draco Malfoy. From school,” he said, kissing the top of her head. 

“He’s cute, for an old guy,” she said, appraising Draco as he walked away. “Did he give you his number?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you gonna call him?”

“Lily, you promised. No more match-making.” Harry took his daughter’s hand and steered her towards Diagon Alley.

“You match-made on your own. I’m just...interested in your life is all.” Lily looked so much like her mother when she made that face, that “I’ve got a scheme” look. He pitied anyone who found themselves within her sights, himself included. “You’ve got to call him.”

“We’ll see, pumpkin.”

“Yes,” Lily grinned. “We shall. Now, let’s eat fast so we can go shopping. You’re gonna need something good to wear for your date.”


End file.
